The rickshaw puller in Kolkata

The notable rickshaw or rickshaw, in the so-called English language is the rickshaw. This type of human-powered, foot-drawn vehicle is one of the most common vehicles in Asia. Noting that this type of vehicle has been banned in many Asian countries due to numerous fatal accidents. For all intents and purposes, it's a cart with two wheels, a well-upholstered seat and styles for one- or two-person seats, with cover and protection from rainwater.

Some people who have better conditions purchase cycle rickshaws or bicycle rickshaws, avoiding having the rickshaw pulled on foot. Many people say that the rickshaw was created in Japan, others say that it was in Calcutta, India. Asserting that this vehicle is fundamental in the delivery of goods in shopping centers, or places of narrow streets, in addition to being served in the displacement of people.

The truth is that these two-wheeled cars, pulled by men, were vital in many economies of some countries, for being fast in distribution, fast in transit, and without any expense.

In the city of Bihar, located in the State of India, two friends talk at the door of the chicken sales company. Juarez and Anselmo talk about various subjects. My friend Juarez says:

-What's up, man? How will your situation in the company be?

Anselm responds:

-I'm going, my friend Juarez. The problem is that only today, I received my rights in the company. After all, it was 15 years of long work and not one night's sleep. Am I a person who doesn't know the night to sleep in these fifteen years? I don't even know what I'm going to do with the money.

Juarez says:

-I worked for twenty years dispatching goods at the counter. And all my money, I invested a part in the Bank, and the other part, I bought 02 (two) hand rickshaws in the city of Calcutta. If you need help, count on me for whatever comes and comes.

Smiling, Anselmo says:

-I thank you very much my friend. Friend is for these times and things. Check it out: For fifteen years, I woke up at 10:00 pm to go to work at 12:00 am. He arrived at twelve o'clock and boarded the company's truck to pick up a load of cockerels at the bird station. In addition to peeling, treating, and weighing the chickens, this ended by eight o'clock the next morning. You know, my family is poor, everything depends on me. But friend Juarez, I was interested in renting a rickshaw.

- Glad you liked it. I'll rent you a rickshaw cheaply for 3 months.

-I accept and I can make the contract with you today.

-It's all right. Then go home. This rickshaw has an updated license, registration and I'll rent you for 7000 (seven thousand) rupees.

- The deal is done. I'll be at your house later for payment and signing the contract.

Juarez and Anselmo complete the deal and carry out the contract at their home.

At dusk in the city of Behar, Anselmo talks to his wife in the presence of their two children, explaining the new situation.

- Daisy, all the money is in your hands, I used only 7000 rupees to pay the rent of a rickshaw. I will need to take 25,000 rupees to my accommodation in Kolkata where I will sleep. Since I don't have any relatives in this capital and I don't know the city. I need to know and learn the names of the streets and work there. Between 30 days, I come here at home, leave money or send via Western Union bank.

Anselm's wife declares:

-All these years, we never parted. It's the first time I'm going to face a life alone. This all hurts me and hurts my love I have for you. There would be no other way for you to work here in Behar. Anselmo, we are poor, even in pain, I will bear and carry our two children.

Anselmo puts both hands on his head and says:

-Daisy, I only made this deal to not miss the opportunity and not be unemployed. But, my heart is yours represented by our children. I will always love you wherever I go. You know that our city is poor, and I have no education, just know how to read and write. Arriving in Calcutta, I will work like a madman, and tonight I will think of you. If it doesn't work out in these three months, I'll come back.

Arriving in Calcutta at the train station, Anselm asks the gentleman nearby:

-Can you tell me where Rickshaw Street is? And if there are any hotels near this street?

-I don't know any street called rickshaw. I do not know. Now if you want to know the rickshaw street. All the streets have rickshaws. Therefore, Rua Madre Tereza next to Macdonalds is the most popular street for rickshaws, and very close by there are six hotels, including for rickshaw pullers.

Anselm says:

-Thank you very much. I don't know how to thank you for the information. Thank you very much.

Early in the morning, Anselmo sees his friend Juarez and gets the rickshaw, ready for work. At this step, Anselmo transforms into a horse-man, his job consisting of pulling the wooden cart with both hands with the strength of his skeletal body. Although Anselmo knew about the Law of the State of West Bengal, whose law did not have its legality due to the fact that the State does not know where the 25,000 (twenty five) thousand rickshaw pulls with their adaptations will be placed. Without delay, a couple arrives and asks for a rickshaw, promptly, Anselmo attends them.

Without further ado, the couple asks where Park Street is in Kolkata.

- Can you drop us off downtown Park Street? It's just that we want to spend the day and night, getting to know the food, shops and bars in the nightlife.

Responding in his Hindi language, Anselmo says:

-I don't know what you're talking about. Speak to me in Hindi, my language.

Not knowing English, and with a great conflict between languages, Anselmo asks travelers to write on paper. They write – “where is the Park Street shopping center of Calcutta”? At that same moment, Anselmo receives and takes his friends in a rickshaw to inform them. And they tell Anselmo that the center is located at Mother Teresa Sarani in Kolkata and the price is 180 rupees.

At that moment, Anselmo charged the valou of 180 rupees and the travelers paid, meanwhile, a heavy rain falls in Calcutta, Anselmo watches the street full of sewage water descending towards the highway. Well-dressed travelers protected from the rain open their smartphones and browse social networks, the couple talking and smiling a lot.

Without any warning, Anselmo treads hard in the culverts crossing the alleys of old Calcutta, and when he sees the road that leads to Park Street, he tells travelers about the arrival and end of the journey.

At dusk, Anselmo goes to sleep feeling his body hot and quite cold, with the onset of tuberculosis or respiratory disease, with pain in the spine and joints, it is not known. The fragile and powerless body, carrying two or three times its weight, contracts innumerable diseases for itself. With nothing to take medicine, he imagines the situation in which he was away from his family and living immense moments of complete loneliness. The next day, Anselmo wakes up late and with a hot body, goes to his rickshaw friends and tells him his situation. One of them named Sebastião says the following:

-Anselmo wake up! You have been deceived! The three-month rental of a simple rickshaw costs only 4000 (four thousand) rupees. Open your eyes, you would never have gone to the tourist hotel. Quite simply, I would have come here, the rickshaw-puller hotel. Here it is like our house.

-Truth. I was cheated.

-Yea. Cancel the contract and the hotel and come here. Here we can help you.

After going to the pharmacy, Anselmo canceled the contract and the hotel, and went to where his friends were.

A young rickshaw puller named Julius said:

-My dear friend, I have the complete instruction, but I ended up staying here. My salvation is that I know English and I know every street in Calcutta. In your case, it is difficult to know the street names and at least understand some English. Without it, you can't be a rickshaw puller. I was going to forget to mention, it still has the maneuvers and closed streets, as well as the prices of the races.

-It was great talking to you, but I don't know how to go home. My money ran out. I am full of body aches, my arms and feet hurt a lot. I never thought it was this bad. Being a rickshaw puller has essential requirements. I don't know Calcutta, I don't speak English and I don't even know where the streets begin, let alone the price. After all, I don't have any social structure.

Julius said:

-This is not a problem. We put you in the last composition of the train. You travel all the time with your hands on the ceiling together with others for free, without paying anything. Watch out for the station guard and the train security. I will put you on the Uttar Banga Express. Rest assured that it is no suburban train from India.

-I am very afraid to travel on this train. I do not forget the accident in 2010, at Sainthia station, when the express train Uttar Banga Express did not brake and crashed at high speed into the Vananchal Express train. Very sad.

-But I'll put you right, and you shouldn't be thinking about past nonsense. You didn't buy a ticket or make a reservation, so that's all settled.

- I appreciate it friend. I want to go now. It's 10 o'clock in the morning.

Julius says:

-There my uncle, you are decided. At 12:00 there is a train passing in Bihar. You go for it. ok uncle?

-Yea. I am ready already. We can go?

-It is clear.

Anselmo climbed on the handles of the train door, stomped on the window and jumped onto the train cover. Sitting up there, he waved to his fellow professionals several times. It didn't take long, Anselmo arrived at his house, welcomed by his wife and children. He hugged his wife and said nothing.

His children with red eyes, he said:

-Dad, don't go anymore. Please! Stay close to us. Rickshaw is a dangerous service. Nobody respects rickshaw! If you stay at home, my brother and I will honestly work anything. It doesn't matter if it's breaking rocks or carrying garbage from backyards or cleaning septic tanks. It doesn't matter. We want you here.

With nothing to say, Anselmo hugged his two children and his wife, and said that he never wants to have a rickshaw again in his life, just as he will no longer leave his family in search of better days.